Where Everybody's Crazy

So a while ago, I blasted out my reserves about going to church. It was perhaps not coincidental that I was going to what I felt was a pretty lifeless church at the time. Now I'm going to an altogether different church, and things are different.

Well, not completely different; the form is still very traditional, the sermons even longer and drier, but... I love my church. What's changed? Two things I can immediately identify: first, it's a Japanese church, and I enjoy being with Japanese Christians. Which is just as well, you know.

Second, it's a sociable church. After the service, we had tea and chatted for an hour or so, then went out for dinner, and then sat in a coffee shop to chat a bit more. Of course I'm still very new and I don't really know anyone, but this way I feel I've got some chance of actually getting to.

You see, in my previous rant, I forgot the golden rule: that church isn't about structures or activities or services; church is people, people meeting together to meet God and encourage each other. Meeting God is of course the most important, but I can remember churches where I feel I've met God but nobody else, and I've pretty quickly found myself in another church. You can meet God in your bedroom; to meet as church, you need to meet as a community.